How to Write 任 (rén/rèn) — Meaning “to appoint / duty / no matter”

Q: What is a good memory trick to remember the character 任?

Imagine a person (亻) standing on a scale (壬) because they have a duty to measure their weight. This visual reminds you that 任 is about duty or responsibility.

Q: What writing tips are important for the character 任?

Write the left radical 亻 first (two strokes: left-falling then vertical), then the right part 壬 (top horizontal, short left-falling, middle horizontal, final vertical). Common mistake is to write the right side like 王 (jade) with three horizontals — remember the second stroke is a left-falling, not a horizontal.

Q: How is 任 different from similar characters 什 and 仁?

任 has the right component 壬 (a burden), while 什 has 十 (ten) and 仁 has 二 (two). In meaning, 任 means duty or appoint, 什 means "what" or a group of ten, and 仁 means benevolence or kindness.

Q: When is 任 used in modern Chinese, and are there any cultural notes?

任 appears in common words like 任务 (task) and 责任 (responsibility), and it is also a common surname (姓任). In Chinese culture, 任 implies a sense of duty and trust, often used in formal contexts like job appointments.

Q: What common words use 任?

Common words containing 任 include: 任务 (rèn wù) — task / mission; 责任 (zé rèn) — responsibility; duty; 姓任 (xìng rén) — Surnamed Ren..

rén/rèn HSK Level 3 6 strokes Radical: 亻

任 (rén/rèn) means "to appoint / duty / no matter" in Chinese. It has 6 strokes with the radical 亻, and is HSK Level 3.

Rated 2.9/5 in difficulty (moderate).

Harder than 17% of HSK Level 3 characters.

Appears in 4+ common words including 任务 (rèn wù), 责任 (zé rèn), 姓任 (xìng rén).

Hanzi Writer's stroke validation shows learners typically need 5-8 attempts to write 任 with correct proportion and order.

Practice Writing 任 (rén/rèn)

Open Hanzi Writer to see the animated stroke order and practice writing 任 with real-time feedback.

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How to Write 任

The character 任 (rén/rèn) is written with 6 strokes. Follow the standard Chinese stroke order: top to bottom, left to right, outside before inside. The radical 亻 is one of its key components.

Practice the correct stroke order with the Hanzi Writer app to see animated stroke-by-stroke guidance with real-time feedback.

What Does rén/rèn (任) Mean in Chinese?

任 means to appoint / duty / no matter.

This is a polyphonic character with readings: rén, rèn.

As an HSK Level 3 character, 任 is an intermediate-level character.

Character Data

Character	任
Pinyin	rén / rèn (ren)
Meaning	to appoint / duty / no matter
Strokes	6
Radical	亻
HSK Level	3
Difficulty	2.9/5

Origin of 任

The character 任 combines the radical 亻 (person) with 壬, an ancient pictograph of a spindle or burden. Together, they depict a person carrying a load, symbolizing the acceptance of a duty or appointment.

💡 Memory Tip: Imagine a person (亻) being appointed to carry a heavy spindle (壬) as their duty, no matter the weight.

Common Words with 任

任务 rèn wù

task / mission

责任 zé rèn

responsibility; duty

姓任 xìng rén

Surnamed Ren.

任何 rèn hé

any / whatever

Example Sentences

老师要求大家在下周一前完成这项任务。

lǎo shī yāo qiú dà jiā zài xià zhōu yī qián wán chéng zhè xiàng rèn wù

The teacher required everyone to complete this task by next Monday.

保护环境是每一个公民应尽的责任。

bǎo hù huán jìng shì měi yí gè gōng mín yīng jǐn de zé rèn

Protecting the environment is the responsibility of every citizen.

那位姓任的工程师负责这个项目的整体设计。

nà wèi xìng rén de gōng chéng shī fù zé zhè ge xiàng mù dì zhěng tǐ shè jì 。

The engineer named Ren is responsible for the overall design of this project.

任何人都可以参加。

rèn hé rén dōu kě yǐ cān jiā 。

Anyone can participate.

Similar Characters Comparison

Character	Pinyin	Strokes	Radical
任 (current)	rén / rèn	6	亻
什	shén / shí	4	亻
仁	rén	4	亻
仂	lè	4	亻

Practice Writing 任 (rén/rèn)

Open Hanzi Writer to see the animated stroke order and practice writing 任 with real-time feedback.

✨ Animated stroke order · Handwriting recognition · HSK-graded practice · Free to use

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Frequently Asked Questions about 任

What are the components of 任 and how do they relate to its meaning?

The character 任 combines the person radical 亻 on the left with the component 壬 on the right. The person radical indicates a human, while 壬 originally suggested a burden or load, together implying a person carrying a duty or responsibility.

What is a good memory trick to remember the character 任?

What writing tips are important for the character 任?

How is 任 different from similar characters 什 and 仁?

When is 任 used in modern Chinese, and are there any cultural notes?

What common words use 任?

How to Write 任 (rén/rèn) — Meaning “to appoint / duty / no matter”

Practice Writing 任 (rén/rèn)

How to Write 任

What Does rén/rèn (任) Mean in Chinese?

Character Data

Origin of 任

Common Words with 任

Example Sentences

Similar Characters Comparison

Practice Writing 任 (rén/rèn)

Frequently Asked Questions about 任

More HSK Level 3 Characters

Characters with Radical 亻

Other 6-Stroke Characters